The Delhi police on Friday found the body of a 25-year-old Naaz in Hapur, Uttar Pradesh, in what was a twist in the murder of an Uzbek belly dancer named Shakhnoza Shukurova. Naaz, who was also a dancer from Uzbekistan, was allegedly an accomplice in the murder of Shukurova on September 24, the Hindustan Times reported. Prime accused Gagandeep, who was arrested this week, said he had killed Naaz as she was the sole witness to Shukurova’s murder. The police had searched for Naaz for several days, but were unable to find her. When they started making inquiries and even reached Naaz’s house, Gagandeep got worried and killed her using the same modus operandi they had used on Shukurova and dumped her body in Hapur, he said.

Gagandeep revealed that Naaz owed Shukurova Rs 8 lakh and had hired him to abduct and murder her. Shukurova had supposedly kept Naaz's passport with her and refused to give it back till her money was returned. After strangling her, the two put her body in a suitcase, dumped it in Haryana’s Sonepat district and set it on fire. Shukurova’s family (pictured above) had come to Delhi and accused the police of inaction in the case, after which official action intensified. While there are reports that the two dancers were involved in a prostitution racket, this has not been confirmed.